Vehicle-top.



W. P. DORL.

VEHICLE TOP.

APPLICATION EILED FEB. 25. 1916.

Patented Jan.2,1917.

2 SHEETSSHEETI W. P. DORL.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- WALTER r. DORL, or DETROIT, mrcnreen.

VEHICLE-TOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Application filed February 25, 1916. Serial N 0. 80,523.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WALTER P. DoRL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Vehicle-Tops, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to what is commonly called a one-man top and it comprises a folding cantaliver structure which is carried on the main bow by such an arrangement that most of the load rests upon the nearly vertical main bow while a certain pull is placed upon the rear bow for holding the folding cantaliver structure in this position wherein the load is carried upon the vertical master bow. This will more fully appear in the description following.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the top when up. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same in an intermediate position as it is being put down. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing the top folded down. Fig. 4: is a section on the line AA ofFig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is a section on the line BB of Fig. 1.

a is the main bow, to which is pivoted the rear bow b.

c designates a lever projecting rearwardly from the main bow a.

The folding cantaliver structure comprises a two-part outrigger bow d, the forward part of which is hinged to the rear part and the latter pivoted near the end of the lever c. The second bow e is pivoted to the rear part of the outrigger bow.

Now one of the chief features of this construction is the use of the link 7 which with the top up is almost in a vertical position and on a dead center line to the load. The outer end of the link is pivoted to the rear portion of the outrigger bow and the inner end to the main bow. When the link f is near to the dead center line of the load, a great portion of the weight of the folding cantaliver structure is supported on. this link and through the link upon the vertical main bow. However, there is a certain tendency of the cantaliver structure to pull the link forward and pull the lever -c forward. This is resisted by the rear bow b which is connected with the end of the I lever 0 by means of the strap 9. The strainers it also cooperate with the strap 9 to communicate some of the tension of the folding cantaliver structure to the rear bow. The result is that the rear bow which can be held in position by the ordinary tension straps serves to resist the tendency of the folding cantaliver structure to swing down. It will be understood that there are two levers, two links and two straps, one of each of these on each side of the top.

When it is desired to fold the top, all that is necessary is to cause the forward part of the outrigger bow to fold up and the rear part of the outrigger bow to fold down as shown in Fig. 2. This tips the link f forward and causes the lever 0 and the main bow to fold together, as shown in Fig. 2, while the whole structure folds together in the manner shown in Fig. 3.

What I claim is:

1. In a Vehicle top, the combination of a main bow, a rear bow, a folding cantaliver structure, a weather-excluding fabric spread over said bows and the cantaliver structure, a lever pivoted to the main bow and to which the folding cantaliver structure is pivoted, said lever terminating short of the said fabric when the top is up, a link pivoted to the folding contaliver structure and to the main bow for supporting the folding cantaliver' structure, and a connector between the said lever and the rear bow for resisting the tendency of the folding cantaliver structure to cause the lever to fold toward the main bow.

2. In a vehicle top, the combination of a main bow, a rear bow, a top fabric, a lever pivoted to the rear of the main bow and terminating short of the top fabric when the top is up, a folding cantaliver structure pivoted to the lever, a link for supporting the folding cantaliver structure on the main bow, and a strap for connecting the end of the lever to the rear bow.

3. In a vehicle top, the combination of a main'bow, a lever pivoted to the main bow and projecting to the rear thereof, a folding cantaliver structure pivoted at its rear to the said lever, a link pivoted at its top to,

the folding cantaliver structure and at its bottom to the main bow and when the top is up being tipped only slightly forward of 1 a'vertical position, and a strap for preventat its bottom toiithe .-=1nain bow, the said cantaliver structure being pivoted solely to the link and the lever, and means for preventing the leve'r from folding toward the mainbovv When the top is up.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification. v WALTER P. DORL.

ing the lever from folding toward the main how when the top is up.

4. In a vehicle top, the combination of a main bow, a lever pivoted directly to the main bow and extending rearwardly thereof, a folding cantaliver structure pivoted at its I rear to the vsaid lever, a link pivoted at the top to the folding cantaliver structure and Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing thefGommissioner oi Patents.

Washington, I). G. 

